1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an incoming message processing method in a plurality of terminal equipments and a terminal equipment for executing the method, when a plurality of terminal equipments are connected to one line, and more particularly to an incoming message processing method in a plurality of terminal equipments and a terminal equipment for executing the method wherein one of the plurality of terminal equipments connected to the line has priority in accordance with a predetermined response time in each terminal equipment. For example, in an ISDN (Integrated Service Digital Network), a maximum of eight terminal equipments can be connected on one line.
2. Description of the Related Art
in an ISDN, for example, when a message is sent to eight terminal equipments of the same kind (e.g, facsimile device) on one line, not using a subaddress or direct dial system but using a broadcast method, only the terminal equipment which returns the earliest response can receive the message.
If the terminal equipment which returns the earliest response is a facsimile comprising a memory, and the facsimile has no paper, a paper jam, or an abnormality in the recording device, the facsimile receives the message and stores the message in memory until the memory is full. Even if a facsimile which did not return the earliest response is operating normally, it cannot receive or print the message. As a result, the printed message only can be obtained by correcting the abnormality in the facsimile which received the message, thus causing a delay in the printing of the message.
The related art regarding this invention, is disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 59-89065.